God's Plan: Submission or Rebellion

Proverbs 21:1

The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases.

This is a truth that is hard for many Christians to accept, and submit to.  It is so much easier to think that we are smarter than God's anointed governors.  When it comes to the governing authorities, we seem to want to believe that it is okay to slander (Eighth Commandment) and disrespect those men and women that God has placed in positions of authority (Fourth Commandment).

Before we get into all of that though, we need to look at a couple other verses that will help guide this discussion:

Isaiah 45:1,4

"This is what the LORD says to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: 

For the sake of Jacob My servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge Me.

Romans 13:1-2

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.  The authorities that exist have been established by God.  Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

Back to the matter at hand, Proverbs 21:1.  Solomon is telling us that God is in control.  No earthly ruler is more powerful than the Lord, no matter what he, or she,  might try to make you believe.  The understanding of man in limited and finite.  God is omniscient (all knowing) and infinite.  (LORD, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.  Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.- Psalm 90:1-2)

No matter how much any human being wants to control anything in our world, he can't.  No one is God.  There is only one God.  

Does that mean that we are just puppets on a string?  No.  What that means is that God has a plan, and He works everything according to His plan.  God is not at the mercy of any human being.  Let's take a look at the life of Jesus Christ to illustrate this point.

Jesus' birth was prophesied by Isaiah 700 years before it happened:  "Therefore the LORD Himself will give you a sign:  The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel."- Isaiah 7:14

It was not a coincidence that Jesus was born during the rule of the Roman Empire.  This was all a part of God's plan.  It was actually essential for Jesus to live under a republican form of government.  If Jesus would have lived in an autonomous Israel, still controlled entirely by Mosaic law, Jesus' ministry would have looked entirely different.  If the Pharisees had been the governing authorities would Jesus have been breaking the Fourth Commandment by speaking out against them?  As it was, the Romans were the governing authorities.  Thus, Jesus' constant rebukes of the Pharisees were not a matter of civil law, a rebellion against the governing authorities.  It was a matter of Jesus rebuking the men who had been entrusted with the responsibility of being the spiritual leaders/overseers of God's people.  So Jesus rebuking the Pharisees was no different than a Christian rebuking a pastor who is teaching or practicing false doctrine.

How did Jesus submit to rule of the Roman authorities?

He commanded that we pay our taxes:  "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."  At His trial there is an interesting interaction between Jesus and Pontius Pilate:

"Do you refuse to speak to me?"  Pilate said.  "Don't you realize I have the power either to free you or to crucify you?"

Jesus answered, "You would have no power over Me if it were not given to you from above.  Therefore the one who handed Me over to you is guilty of a greater sin." - John 19:10-11

Jesus made it clear that neither Pilate or the Roman government had any power that God had not given them.  Why did God give the Roman government the power that He did?

He did it because He is true to His Word.  Through the Roman government God fulfilled all of the Old Testament prophesies about Jesus' death and resurrection.  God used the Roman government to fulfill His plan of Salvation:  

Jesus payed the price for the sins of all people by being crucified on the cross; because no one can do anything to atone for his own sins.

Then, on the third day Jesus raised from the dead, in the flesh, to conquer sin, death, and hell so that it no longer has any power over all who believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

To God be all praise and GLORY!

I doubt that there was a single Caesar that ever made this connection.  But there it is, the clearest example of what Solomon was saying in Proverbs 21:1.  If Jesus was willing to submit to the governing authorities, why won't we?  Why do we insist on rebelling against the authorities God has placed in power?  Do we know better than the Son of God, or is it a matter of faith (or lack there of)?

We don't need to know God's plan to trust His plan.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."- Romans 8:28

God bless

Jason Fredrick